May 3, 2015
Matt White: Airing on the side of safety
Matt White is the much traveled Director of Tire Service at TIA. WCTD recently caught up with him between trips for just long enough to check in on how things are going—and what’s on his radar…
We started by asking Matt what impact he’s noticed from his activities here in Canada over the last few years.
MW. “I would say, in the last two years, we’ve logged 45 weeks plus of training throughout Canada. What I see is total acceptance. And I see that in the way that people are changing their operations and they way they do business.”
What do you put that down to?
MW: It’s a combination of things. But really it’s everything from the success of the classes to a broader awareness of all that’s related to safety, and a great spirit of collaboration within WCTD. Also, we’ve had few fatalities in the industry in the last few years, which brings a sense of urgency. Having a commitment from everyone involved to move ahead and change things has been really crucial.
I fully believe we’re making a difference throughout Canada: in the way that the WCTD safety committee has come together; and in the way people are talking safety all the time. Instead of less training there’s more training, which means companies are committed to a program of ongoing education.
What do you say to people who don’t even have a safety program?
MW: They really need to look into the way they’re doing business. Through the association, they can get help from the safety committee—we’re here to help. That’s why we develop these programs. At TIA our motto is “Safety Starts Here.”
Ultimately, I don’t “sell” anything. My job is to save lives. It’s what we do: work and safety awareness.
What’s so challenging about the tire business?
MW: Everyone thinks it’s “just a tire”. But it’s not. It’s a specific piece of equipment. And in some cases we’re dealing with one of most dangerous jobs in the world—as well as some of the largest tires in the world. The people I’m talking to aren’t “tire boys;” they’re tire technicians with a specific job.
Handling large tires requires specific training, as offered by the EMT course
What’s new?
MW: In 2015 we’ll be revamping the Earthmover Certification Program, which will be the ETS program, with levels 300 and 400. We also plan on revamping the CTS program—Commercial Tire Service. We’re preparing that for release in 2016.
Just released this month was the updated Industrial Tire Service (ITS) program. For 2017 we will be redoing the Automotive Tire Service (ATS) program. We’re showing the members throughout the industry that we are committed to continuous education; and that we keep our programs as up-to-date as we possibly can.
Can you tell us about training for women only?
MW: As you know our president is Freda Boyer. In talking with Freda we have always committed to equality in our industry, so TIA decided to come up with a program for females only. The course is scheduled to take place in Phoenix, October 6-9—which also happens to be Breast Cancer Awareness month. TIA’s goal is to have complete equality, with female instructors throughout the tire industry. As far as Canada and WCTD is concerned, our plan is to schedule a similar program here in 2016, details which will be announced soon.
We’ve always brought the best of whatever works in the States into Canada as soon as possible. I was at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, when a female instructor came up to me and said: “You know, you touched my life six years ago. I was working at a tire shop and had come to a class with you. In no time at all I was training others,” she said.
My feeling was that the momentum was there—and the time was right. Here was somebody who was still in the industry and could be really helpful in passing on the safety message. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a man or woman—nor does race count. In the end, a technician is a technician is a technician.
How do you define what you do?
MW: My job is to travel the world showing people how and why to do things. And I hope they follow the rules. If you lock out the truck properly, it can’t be driven—and nobody’s going to get run over. If you use a remote control air device instead of standing in front of the tire, and it blows, you won’t die.
What I teach are facts, not fiction.
As for The Tracker, I’m glad to be part of it. People come up and ask me when my next article is coming out—which tells me that we are offering a valuable service. And that makes me very happy.
I guess at the end of the day people see me as the face of safety.
And I’m fine with that!
May 1, 2015
Run Over
Incident:
A tractor/trailer unit had been brought to a dealership for a tire repair on the trailer. The vehicle had been moved to the back where there’s a concrete pad specifically for repairs. The tire that needed work wasn’t on the concrete pad, but on asphalt.
Employee “A” installed a lock-out tag and wheel chocks, crawled between the duals and proceeded to work on the tire.
Employee “B” was walking around the vehicle with the customer, noticed that the tire in question was not on the concrete pad and proceeded to remove the lock-out tag and wheel chocks while instructing the customer to pull ahead by 10 feet so that the work could be completed on the concrete pad.
Employee “A” was run over by the trailer duals resulting in several broken bones.
Findings:
- The tire that needed work wasn’t in the correct position to be repaired safely.
- Employee “B” removed a lock-out tag and wheel chocks that they hadn’t placed themselves and did it without consulting Employee “A”.
Learning Opportunities:
- Always conduct a pre-job hazard assessment prior to starting your task.
- Make sure you’re trained to safely perform tasks before starting them. Speak up if you aren’t.
- NEVER:
- Lay between the duals.
- Remove a lock-out tag and/or wheel chocks until you have conducted a 360° walk-around to ensure no one is working on the unit.
So let’s be careful out there.
Apr 14, 2015
Incident:
While changing the 4th tire on a water truck in the customer’s yard, the truck slipped off the hydraulic jack, causing it to land on its rear bumper; and causing one employee to fall and strike their head on the ground, resulting in cuts to the forehead. The worker received medical attention but there was no time lost from work.
Findings:
The hydraulic jack was placed in the middle of the axle when lifting, which is not the proper jacking surface.
• A jacking pad was not used.
• Wheel chocks were not used.
Learning Opportunities
• Proper assessment of the task:
– Jacking/lifting of a vehicle with a partial load or on unstable ground can easily move.
– If the vehicle is unstable (i.e. liquid load), lift only one side at a time, so as to have multiple points of contact with the ground.
– Make sure you’re lifting on a stable service.
– Make sure the jacks or jack stands can handle the vehicle’s weight.
– Never jack/lift from the middle of the axle, use the correct jacking point.
– Ensure the use of wheel chocks to stabilize the vehicle.
– Use jack stands in conjunction with hydraulic jacks to improve safety.
Let’s be careful out there!
Jan 15, 2015
SAFETY ALERT!
This safety alert is the result of a fatal accident within our industry, involving an employee who was working on a 3-piece wheel assembly.
The following safety procedure can reduce the frequency / and or the severity of the loss:
• All components of a multi-piece rim MUST be in place prior to inflation—espeically the lock ring (safety ring)
• Everyone MUST remain out of the trajectory zone when inflating any tire
• A remote airline MUST be used during inflation
• All technicians MUST be trained to safely perform the job / tasks
If you are unsure about a process or task, STOP and ask for clarification or help
Loss of life, injury and property damage can be prevented. Training staff to follow proper procedures is critical to ensuring everyone’s safety.
Please be sure to share this bulletin with your employees.
Let’s be careful out there!
partners in prevention
© Federated Insurance Company of Canada. All rights reserved.
Jan 8, 2015
SAFETY ALERT!
In April 2014, a large construction company was fined more than $180,000 under the Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations for the avoidable death of an employee.
The worker was hired through a contractor to dismantle a Quonset structure and was struck by a 10-foot metal rod when the fabric ripped from a large tent panel they were working on.
The company failed to identify, communicate and control hazards. They also didn’t make sure the contracted workers had written safe work procedures for the dismantling of the Quonset.
Workplace Safety and Health Act and Regulations – protect workers and other persons from risks to their safety, health, and welfare arising from workplace activities.
Key Lessons to Learn*
1. Safe Work Procedures should be developed and trained for the greater good of your workers and your company NOT because “it’s the law”.
2. Most deaths and serious incidents result from failure to identify, communicate and control hazards. Meaningful hazard assessments are for you and your people, NOT because “it’s the law”.
3. Prime Contractors must ensure that sub-contractors ensure that work will be performed in compliance with the WSH Act and Regulations. Just because subs are “COR Certified” DOES NOT mean they are in compliance. Contractors (those who hire contracted and self-employed workers and direct their work) must ensure that workers are not exposed to unnecessary risk that is within the control of the contractor.
Note: Bill C45 – is federal legislation that amended the Canadian Criminal Code and became law on March 31, 2004. The Bill established new legal duties for workplace health and safety, and imposed serious penalties for violations that result in injuries
or death. The Bill provided new rules for attributing criminal liability to organizations, including corporations, their representatives and those who direct the work of others.
Workplace injury can lead to action from Workplace Safety and Health.
So let’s be careful out there.
© Federated Insurance Company of Canada. All rights reserved.
*Source: Largest Workplace Safety Fine in Manitoba History Under New Crown Attorney, 1Life Workplace Safety and Health, May 1 2014
Sep 18, 2014
Western Canada Tire Dealers is proud to induct Mike Roberge into the WCTD Hall of Fame for 2014
Meet Mike
Mike grew up in Piedmont, 45 minutes north of Montreal. He enjoyed a great upbringing, attending a small school with just 300 kids. His parents made sure their kids learnt how to ski, play hockey and golf by the age of 8.
“We spent a lot of time in the “woods” hiking and hunting. I was very fortunate to have such outgoing parents,” he says.
Growing the work ethic
As a teen, summers were spent working in the tobacco fields of Ontario around Strathroy–getting much needed cash flow for going back to school!!
“Earning your own money was common practice then, says Mike, who also taught skiing from the age of 13 (on weekends) until he finished high school.
“Having cash was just as important as eating. None of my friends ever expected our parents to “pay” our way. I moved out on my own around 17 years of age.”
After high school Mike taught skiing full time and sold women’s clothing (wholesale) in the Maritimes during the off seasons for a couple of years.
By the time he turned 20 he had twice hitch hiked across Canada and part of the USA.
He fell in love with the mountains of BC so moved out west when he was 21.
A close call and a new calling
Mike soon found his feet driving off highway logging trucks up Harrison Lake in the Fraser Valley. One day he hitched a float plane ride out of a lake north of Pitt Lake where He was camped out for a few weeks. They crashed on a snow pack and had to walk out. But no one was injured–and the very next week Mike started to take flying lessons.
Within ten months Mike had his commercial license and at 23 years old started a flying career that lasted 26 years. “It became a real passion,” he says.
After flying in BC and the Yukon, He got a job offer to fly a “bird dog” for a forest fire control company in Red Deer. He moved onto the water bombers flying a B-26, an old world war II aircraft. In 1994 he became the lead pilot on a Lockheed Electra, a 4 engine turbine aircraft and became a key player with Air Spray developing and training pilots their 4 engine fleet. Today, Airspray is regarded as a world leader in forest fire control using fixed wing aircraft.
New beginnings: Recycling
In 2000, Mike gave up aviation and turned his attention to Western Rubber, the tire recycling business he started in 1989.
One weekend he noticed a small pile of retreaded rubber at a Vancouver tradeshow. It was a company in Cranbrook that needed rubber for mats. They claimed to have the equipment to make the rubber from truck tires and small OTR’s and were working on equipment to recycle passenger tires. As it turned out, the equipment never worked — but it did get Mike involved in the business. “It felt like we were right up to our necks in quick sand from the get go,” he says. ” We had many tough years at the start. Between the partners, we didn’t have deep pockets—which ended up being a blessing or we would have done what so many other companies tried—buy turnkey plants, which back then were not successful, as the industry was still in its infancy. We had to make do and try many different things. Just about ever piece of equipment we bought ever worked as advertised so we had to improvise and find ways to make them work. This took many years of trial and error to develop the right process.”
“We owe our success to having a good functional group of partners and great employees who believed in the vision — that there was a need to recycle tires and that it would turn into a real business.”
Defining moments
Mike credits then OK Tire president Don Blythe for their first big break. Don leased OK’s retread area to Western Rubber. At the time, everyone thought the very idea of recycling was “crazy” and the company couldn’t even get a business license. Western Rubber ended up being grandfathered under retreading at the OK Tire building… “So New Westminster ‘sort of” had to give us a business license,” says Mike. He adds.
“Don is still a huge supporter and participant of tire recycling and a very big reason why tire recycling has been so successful in BC. He works relentlessly to this day as Chairman of TSBC.”
Kal Signs On:
The next big break came courtesy of Kal Tire, when Ken Finch let Western Rubber take some of their truck tires. “Ken was even willing to pay us a little more than what other recyclers were charging as tipping fees,” says Mike, who says he believed Kal felt a corporate responsibility to help support the evolution of tire recycling. Being able to grow into collecting tires at all of Kal’s stores was a defining moment as it meant Western Rubber was now in every major town in BC.
“We had tires in every major town and we thought if we gave good service to all the other stores as well, we would beat out the competition. And we did, rather quickly”, says Mike.Today, Western Rubber is responsible for collecting tires at over 3,300 points of collection with next to zero collection complaints.
Industry takes the lead
When the BC government decided to get out tire recycling, Tire Stewardship BC was formed and a business plan developed. Don Campbell and the Rubber Association of Canada took the lead drove it home in consultation with the other board members.
At one point it appeared that the ministry of environment was refusing to give up the program. Western Rubber decided to stop taking tires, which forced them to abandon the program and pass it on to TSBC. Mike says it was a big risk as we only had the “one bullet” —but it worked quickly. Tires were piling up—and their phone never stopped ringing. “It was the right thing to do as the results have proved, he says.”
What’s next?
Mike is involved in Inpress Technologies Inc., which has developed a process that allows rubber to be used as a replacement for plastic. It lowers overall production costs by acting as a filler for a portion of the plastic in products. The process, now licensed to a firm with products being sold in Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Wall Mart to name a few.
He and his partners have also purchased a plastic injection molding company and are working with other companies in the U.S. and Canada to could use tire rubber in their products to help lower their costs.
He consults on the viability of recycling mining tires outside of North America.
Says Mike: “It’s a whole new area of recycling that is coming into its own. Tire manufacturers are taking a serious look into recycling the tires that they sell to mines around the world.”
When he’s not busy working on projects, Mike likes to follow his other passions that range from windsurfing, fishing and time in the back country. He and his wife, Vel Lindquist, (who he met in Grand Prairie when flying on fires) also have a small beach house in Belize. They have two grown children who are involved in their own careers.
Mike says he developed a real desire for this business by having the right people involved and watching the whole thing grow an energy of its own.
“I totally believed that it had to succeed if we just got up every day and made some sort of progress. The way we convinced people to believe in us was by “doing” and not just talking. We grew through getting to understand every part of this business. We made many mistakes and learnt from them.”
“We also realized that if we treated our employees with respect, gave our customers proper service and quality product day in and day out that they would have to support us.”
“Everyone started to believe bit by bit from Western’s partners to our employees, managers, government officials, tire dealers, our manufacturing customers to the board members.”
“Watching it grow was inspiring and it turned into a fun time!”
“It has been a great run and I want to thank everyone (from my soul) that has helped make this possible. It makes it even more special to see the Tire Industry recognize the role that tire recyclers actually play by receiving this award.”
